Leeds vs Wolves prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2022-08-05 14:00.
Now entering their third successive Premier League (PL) season, Leeds United’s ninth-placed finish under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020/21 seems a distant memory, having survived last season by a hair's breadth under Jesse Marsch. A wealth of new signings has softened the blow of losing star players Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, though after wholesale changes Leeds are heading into the unknown.
Marsch used his Red Bull connections to bring in Leipzig pair Brendan Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen as well as Salzburg’s Tyler Adams, thus tripling the Yorkshire club’s USA contingent. Warm favourites here, Leeds did go unbeaten in nine of their ten PL home games as pre-match favourites last term, but they will have to fight to improve their mere 40% win-rate (W4, D5, L1).
Despite being touted for potential European qualification during the earlier parts of last season, a run of no clean sheets across the final nine rounds and the longest current winless run of PL sides ahead of the new season (D2, L5) left Wolves clinging on for a top-half finish. The loss of frontman Raúl Jiménez only compounds matters for the Black Country club who, at least, are bidding to extend their four-match unbeaten run at Elland Road (W3, D1).
Having gone unbeaten in five of their last six PL season openers (W3, D2) while also recording the highest win rate as pre-match away outsiders in 2021/22 (41% – W7, D2, L8), the underdog tag shouldn’t faze Wolves. Any drop in concentration could prove fatal though, as Wolves dropped points due to 90+ minute goals in both league H2Hs last season (D1, L1).
Players to watch: Luis Sinisterra is set to become the first Colombian to play for Leeds in the PL. He was Feyenoord’s top scorer in all competitions last term (23 goals) and netted on the Eredivisie’s opening day last season. Meanwhile, Wolves’ Hwang-Hee Chan looks to ruin his former manager’s day after scoring a tenth minute opener with his last two strikes, including one against Leeds.
Hot stat: Leeds boss Marsch has won his opening league game in four of the last five campaigns (L1).